Dave reboots Dara O Briain’s Go 8 Bit for two brand new series

15th December 2016

Award winning entertainment channel Dave has ordered a second and third series of the hit UKTV Original gaming panel show Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit, extending its run to ten episodes per series. Host Dara O Briain will be returning alongside team captains Steve McNeil and Sam Pamphilon and resident gaming expert Ellie Gibson. The 20x60' commission follows the success of series one, which was one of Dave's five biggest shows of 2016.

Each episode, Dara O Briain will preside over five rounds of computer gaming inspired mayhem as two celebrity guests reveal their truly competitive natures and whether they're secretly brilliant players, fast learners, or incredibly sore losers. Once again games featured will vary all the way from the very earliest, ground-breaking names up to the latest blockbuster titles and advances in technology, while also taking in the cult classic titles that challenge conventional gaming rules. And of course every episode ends with a super-sized, physical challenge that tests the competitors in all-new, ingenious ways.

Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit started life as an Edinburgh show created by Steve McNeil and Sam Pamphilon, and made the leap to TV earlier this year, with the likes of Russell Howard, Rachel Riley, Jason Manford, Bob Mortimer and David James all taking part.

Dara O Briain said,

What bittersweet news. The more time I spend making this fun exciting show about video games, the less time I have to play fun, exciting video games, and I'm already pretty bad at video games. In fact, the more I make this show the less qualified I am to be a guest on it. Now there's an irony.

Iain Coyle, UKTV senior commissioning editor, said,

I'm so made up we're making more of these. It's been a real breakout hit for us and I'm so delighted it's been embraced by the gaming community and Dave viewers alike. I guess that means my kids are gonna carry on pushing for that revolving sofa.

Steve North, Dave general manager, said,

It's really exciting to be able to make more Go 8 Bit on Dave. We had a fantastic response to the first series, and with Taskmaster returning next year as well, we've got arguably two of the most exciting, individual panel shows on television.

Our team did a fantastic job of adapting a live Edinburgh Fringe show into the first video game driven TV show that has been embraced by viewers of all ages and critics alike. UKTV took a chance on this format when others did not. They have been a great partner and we all look forward to producing the next two series and beyond.

A DLT Entertainment production, series two and three of Dara O Brian's Go 8 Bit have been ordered by director of commissioning Richard Watsham and Dave general manager Steve North, and executive produced for Dave by Iain Coyle. Executive producers for the series are Donald Taffner Jr. and Michaela Hennessy-Vass. The series producer is Darren Sole and the series director is Steve Smith. Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit joins other exciting 2017 UKTV Originals for Dave such as Red Dwarf XII, Taskmaster series four and five, Dave Gorman Modern Life Is Goodish series five, Crackanory series four and all-new Used Car Wars, Lizard Lick Touring and Joy Of Techs with Marcus Brigstocke and Alexis Conran.

Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit will return to Dave next year. Series one is available to catch up on UKTVPlay.

About Dave

Dave's had a haircut and shave in recent years as it grows from awkward teenager to fully-fledged commissioner of new and original shows. And it's not just comedy these days but entertainment and even some knock-out live sport. Hit UKTV Original commissions include Taskmaster, Dave Gorman Modern Life is Goodish, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit and Crackanory, all laden with the biggest names in British comedy. Dave enjoyed critical success with two series of Hoff the Record, a mockumentary ensemble comedy led by the living legend David Hasselhoff.

As well as home-grown delights Dave also goes stateside, cherry-picking cult US Shows including the sharp-witted and sharp-suited Suits and much-loved Parks and Recreation along with Emmy-nominated The Last Man on Earth. This all contributed to Dave's award win at the 2016 Broadcast Digital Awards for Best Entertainment Channel.

Dave is the UK's most watched non-PSB channel broadcasting to over 27 million people per month, and viewers continue to enjoy the ludicrously addictive American Pickers and UK remake of Storage Hunters. The channel continues to grow its original commissioning slate with political show Unspun With Matt Forde, Red Dwarf XI, fantasy comedy Zapped! and Celebrity Storage Hunters.

About UKTV

UKTV is the biggest multichannel broadcaster in the UK.

The award-winning independent has eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food. These include the two most popular non-PSB channels in the UK and account for 9.31% of the British commercial TV market. The company's most recent financial results showed record-breaking year-end revenue of £319m and EBITDA of £82m. It invested £148m in programming and related launches last year, and is becoming an increasingly significant investor in UK creativity.

UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC, alongside programmes originally shown on ITV and Channel 4. The network embraces technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat, Amazon Fire and UKTV Play, and distributes its highly valued original programmes to 200 territories.

Now celebrating its 23rd year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British television broadcaster in The Sunday Times top 100 companies list.

corporate.uktv.co.uk / press.uktv.co.uk / @uktv_press

About DLT Entertainment

Headquartered in London and New York, DLT Entertainment Ltd. is engaged in every aspect of television distribution and production around the world, as well as stage production in the US and in the UK.
Founded in 1963 as a distribution company, the company added television production to its portfolio in 1977. DLT Entertainment has enjoyed terrific success over the last fifty plus years with legendary hits including the multiple award-winning sitcom My Family, As Time Goes By, Three's Company, Too Close For Comfort, Meet My Folks and Dara O'Briain's Go 8 Bit. In addition, DLT has built a reputation as a leading distribution company with classics such as The Benny Hill Show, The World at War, Miranda and The Russ Abbot Show.
DLT is also the owner and operator of The Shaftesbury Theatre which is currently home to the hit show Motown, The Musical.